UFC on FOX 9 takes place Dec. 14 at Sleep Train Arena in Sacramento, Calif. The main card airs on FOX following prelims on FOX Sports 1 and Facebook. The placement of the Castillo-Barboza bout is not yet known, but it is likely to serve on the preliminary card.

Castillo has won back-to-back fights since a knockout loss to Michael Johnson nearly a year ago. In February, he beat Paul Sass in London by unanimous decision. Then in July, at UFC on FOX 8, he outpointed Tim Means for his fifth win in six fights. Castillo last fought in front of the Sacramento crowd in his WEC debut, a submission loss to Donald Cerrone at WEC 34 in June 2008.

Barboza also has won two straight fights since an upset loss to Jamie Varner, who knocked him out in the first round at UFC 146 in May 2012. Since that setback, the first of his MMA career, Barboza has stopped Lucas Martins at UFC on FX 7 in January, then stopped Rafaello Oliveira with leg kicks at UFC 162 in July.

A total of 26 fighters got their chance to shine on Saturday as part of UFC 190 at Rio de Janeiro’s HSBC Arena. Now that UFC 190 is in the books, it’s time to commence MMAjunkie’s “Three Stars” ceremony.

The man known for cranking submissions to the point of injury added eye-gouging to his repertoire. But is the controversy of Rousimar Palhares too essential to his bizarre, awful appeal for his employers to take any meaningful action against him?